Leeds United XI vs Aston Villa – Predicted lineup and team news

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The Football Faithful

·21 February 2026

Leeds United XI vs Aston Villa – Predicted lineup and team news

Leeds United travel to Villa Park on Saturday afternoon looking to build on their recent resilient form and move further clear of the relegation zone.

The Whites have moved into 15th place following a string of hard-fought results, including a grit-filled 2–2 draw at Chelsea. Manager Daniel Farke oversaw a successful FA Cup penalty shootout win over Birmingham City on Sunday, but their focus now returns to the top flight. Notably, Leeds have made themselves difficult to beat since the turn of the year, with only the Manchester clubs losing fewer league games since the start of December.

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Daniel Farke manages a squad dealing with a fresh attacking blow but bolstered by several defensive returns. Notably, Noah Okafor has been ruled out for up to four weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in the cup. Consequently, he will miss the trip to Birmingham. However, the visitors are boosted by the availability of Pascal Struijk, Anton Stach, and Daniel James, all of whom have returned to full training.

Karl Darlow is expected to start in goal. Farke may opt for a back three featuring Pascal Struijk, Joe Rodon, and James Justin. Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson could operate as wing-backs, flanking a central midfield pairing of Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev. Brenden Aaronson and Wilfried Gnonto are poised to support the attack from wide areas. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to lead the line, although Lukas Nmecha is pushing for a start after averaging a goal every 115 minutes this season.